November 30, 2014

Miami Has Many Options

The next head coach...the right head coach...can get this program back to a 10 win level by year two easily.

If Golden were to leave tomorrow and the right candidate came aboard, he would not find a team bereft of talent.

In fact, it would be far from it. And people like you and others with actual coaching experience (VACane) can speak to the fact that it is not being coached up. I say year two because many of the notable coaches achieved great success in year two as they took over programs that already had good talent waiting for them:

We are too prominent, too rich in history, too determined, too talented.....to be average.... .500 is average...that is not UM from 1983 to 2003....we are NOT AVERAGE WE ARE CHAMPIONS....and content every year......we press thew issue..thats all I want be relevant...I think that speaks for all of us on here...compete dammit....thanks for the nod Soup...sell those houses brother you are awesome!!!!!!

Hey I get hating PSU, I don't like 'em myself. But man the Perv State/ Ped State sh*t grosses me out every time I read it. Maybe not a full out ban on that but can we all agree to reel it in a touch? Use it more sparingly? Maybe I'm too sensitive but man what happened there is just beyond disturbing.

All of the Miami guys with big money from the NFL, guys that could put up money are Butch guys. I'm just guessing its over 75%. I wonder if there would be some strings attached to any money they'd give up.

### UM athletic director Blake James told me last week that Golden will remain the coach next season, as I reported. That means unless Golden leaves for another job (and the offers aren’t exactly going to pour in), then the most realistic change would be if Golden shakes up his staff.

You would think Golden would be smart enough to realize that he cannot return with everything status quo, that he would be committing career suicide if he does. But James also has said he believes his coaches should decide the fate of their assistants, so this is ultimately in Golden’s hands, though it’s possible the administration could cajole him to make changes.

Golden could start by hiring someone to coach special teams, a role he handled this season. UM’s special teams have been atrocious at times, especially in return coverage. Tyler Boyd produced 190 yards in kickoff returns tonight, allowing the Panthers to consistently win the field-position battle.

Here’s what’s also discouraging: UM loses three to five of its top 8 to 10 players (Phillip Dorsett, Denzel Perryman, Clive Walford) and potentially loses its biggest star, Duke Johnson, and its best offensive lineman (Ereck Flowers), who did not have a good night.

Johnson said after the game that he hasn't decided if he will turn pro, but a scout told me last week that UM people expect he will. (His mother wants him to get a degree but also has expressed concern about him getting injured if he comes back next season.)

“Who is your building block?” ESPN’s Brock Huard said. “Who are your centerpiece guys? Who is your difference maker next year at Miami?”

Start with Brad Kaaya and Joe Yearby (if Duke leaves), but there are lots of issues elsewhere.

Consider that UM has two five-star recruits on defense and neither made much of a difference tonight. Junior Tracy Howard, one of those five-star recruits, plays sparingly.

Chad Thomas, UM's other five-star recruit on defense, was barely noticeable during his limited playing time tonight. Whereas St. Thomas Aquinas’ Joey Bosa collected 7.5 sacks as a freshman at Ohio State last season, Thomas didn’t have one in his first year at Miami. Thomas is too talented not to develop into a good player over time at UM.

A Lot of talk yesterday about whether the admin even wants football to be successful. I'm sure if you asked Donna she would say YES! Win a NC... She is just not willing to do what it takes to run a successful program. There is no denying that she has tried to run it on the cheap. Does she want football to suck? No. Is she willing to do what needs to be done for football to be successful? No.

At the end of the day the state of the program is The fault of no one but Donna. She makes the decisions. Approves the budget etc. As good as she has been for academics, she has been bad for football. Not out of spite, but because her priorities are different. One could argue that her priorities are where they SHOULD be. I'm sure she would rather cure cancer than win a 'ship.

With that being said, do you really want her to pick AGs replacement? Her track record is horrible and you know she would just chose another third rate unknown. We may be better off with Al sticking around... Even though next year will be a complete disaster from recruiting thru Ws and Ls.

Was the first time since I was a kid I had to chance to sit and watch a Cane game with my grandmother....how quickly that moment was almost ruined. But none the less, still an awesome Holiday weekend with my fam...

I dont even care to think of Golden and this staff and what changes will be made, if any... Im looking forward to the combine and hoping these kids make it to the dream of playing in the NFL.

This time in Cane history reminds me of the years before 83 in which I used to attend the orange bowl games who hosted teams who were relevant...of which the Canes were never part of the talk of college football.

In reading some of these articles written by the guys on espisn you would think the Canes had a short time of success in College football. But we actually changed the way that football was played beginning from our national championship win in the OB and extending past the 80s...I love how people rewrite history.

When Howard took over we did not have a lot of changes in the administration. It has always been a simple recipe to returning to national prominence. Having a coach that understands the Miami guys and putting up a fence around Miami in our recruiting. The only time we will get back to national prominence is when we start winning... period. When we get back into the top 5. Its really simple.

Dude unless your expecting to hear how lucky we are to have al, you're gonna be disappointed. Canes football is dead.

Posted by: 1mg of Epi | December 01, 2014 at 09:23 AM

I just need to hear Blake and Donna say it, then I will declare for fan free agency. Serious, it's been too long and I love CF too much to tolerate this. I'm a f*cking Padres fan, CF is where I go to watch a team that cares.

I dont trust any one in the administration when they say something about the program. Until they are ready to make the change they will act like nothing is wrong. And that could change with pressure from the boosters and those who by season tickets. Right now they are gonna talk as if Al can bring us back. I do not think that losing in Miami can continue. At some point the train is gonna come off the tracks and we are gonna end up recruiting players that are division two caliber. The media simply will start to ignore the football program.

Can Golden really fire D'no with the big improvement the defense made statistically this year and nominating him for a award?

I don't think he can, and actually it wouldn't be right and makes Golden look even dumber!

Posted by: WWIM | December 01, 2014 at 02:01 AM

This. Of the three units on the UM football team, the defense improved the most, and although it seems impossible given the W/L record, it looks like a Top 20 total defensive squad. I wouldn't nominate one of my coordinators for a Broyles award with a track record like that, but I wouldn't fire him either.

So who would I fire? My special teams coach. That unit was pure garbage. If I could have kept Micheal Barrow around, I could have hung the whole thing around his neck and fired HIM. But nooooo....I had to fire him BEFORE the season, because I have trouble getting along with the old-school 'Canes and their "why you such a pussy, Al?" comments all the time.

So now what am I s'posed to do? Fire Coley? My best recruiter, and the guy who -- if I did fire him -- would probably get my QB to think real hard about transferring? It's promising, I guess -- at least he isn't like my best friend or anything.

No, I'm under contract through 2019, and Blake gives his coaches the authority to hire his own staff. I think I'll stand pat.

IMO, the D was improving nicely, unless we resorted back to our old ways. IDK why that happened or who it falls on. On a 3rd and 4 our safety was dam near out of the screen and then back started back pedaling... Pitt got a false start penalty, but still. At that point they completed 6 passes and we had a safety 15 yards away on a 3rd and 4? This has to be the most stubborn coaching staff EVER assembled.

I was struck by that headline, too. My mom who went to UM is visiting for Thanksgiving, and we shared a good laugh over that one. We tried to find the bowl with the lamest name. "Famous Idaho Potato Bowl" was my candidate.

No the defense didn't improve, I don't give a damn what the stats say...we're 6-6! Chick got WORSE!...McCord is getting WORSE!...Pierre got WORSE! SHEEZ!, look at the Louisville,NU,GT, & Pitt games to name a few, and look at how they get MANHANDLED! in this PATHETIC! scheme.

I smelt Donna Wisconsin losers stench years ago with that Harvard of the South nonsense and UM ranks maybe 3 spot higher than UF. SHM

Posted by: SinisterCane | December 01, 2014 at 09:34 AM

Lol.

Posted by: Go Canes | December 01, 2014 at 09:51 AM

Moreover, there are probably four other schools in the ACC (Duke, NC, VA, GT) which, academically, rank higher than UM. (Nevertheless, we are CONVINCINGLY ranked higher, academically, than both L'ville and FSU).

I was struck by that headline, too. My mom who went to UM is visiting for Thanksgiving, and we shared a good laugh over that one. We tried to find the bowl with the lamest name. "Famous Idaho Potato Bowl" was my candidate.

Posted by: dj moonbat | December 01, 2014 at 10:32 AM

The "Famous Idaho Potato Bowl" was previously the "Humanitarian Bowl", which used to be my choice for the oddest postseason bowl name.

No the defense didn't improve, I don't give a damn what the stats say...we're 6-6! Chick got WORSE!...McCord is getting WORSE!...Pierre got WORSE! SHEEZ!, look at the Louisville,NU,GT, & Pitt games to name a few, and look at how they get MANHANDLED! in this PATHETIC! scheme.

Posted by: CaneRock | December 01, 2014 at 10:36 AM

In an advanced technological economy, you can't just throw away inconvenient numbers. I don't like the scheme, but I have to admit that even with massive failures against physical running teams, it is currently #15 in total defense over basically the whole season. (It may even go up, if a good defense or two gets clobbered in a conference championship game.)

I still think we should replace the defensive staff, because -- unlike them -- I think you should adjust your scheme when you play physical running teams, rather than insist that if players made the right reads, everything would work out fine. But arguing that the defense got worse is just not a claim that you can defend with any facts.

Maybe there is an Illegal Alien Bowl on the Mexican border....we could force the Mexicans who are using it as a temporary facility to attend the game..We might get them to go back to Mexico after they watch how bad we play...lol

We could have the Dance Off Bowl...instead of watching it as a football game we could have judges in the crowd giving the Canes a grade on how the d line holds their blocks. They could have cards that are marked with numbers 1 to 10 they hold up after each play depending upon long they keep the block and how close they stay to their partner.

Again, back in December 2006 the University President, AD, Board of Trustees and multi-million dollar boosters had the first of TWO GRAND OPPORTUNITIES, to successfully hire a PROVEN, ESTABLISHED head coach. But tragically FAILED in that endeavor! And now serious, loyal Miami fandom have witnessed the results of that FAUX PAS this season under Golden and D'Onofrio.

Flash back to the sad ending of one of Miami, Florida's OWN.

Second grand opportunity in 2010. Enter stage right Thee Carpetbagger's.

Once again Miami's AD, President, Board of Trustee's and yes the multi-million dollar boosters felt all good and comfy in the hiring of a UNPROVEN head coach and his defensive assistant.

Bottom line: Golden and D'Onofrio have now had NINE seasons to PROVE they're capable of coaching at the Power Five level and have shown their INCOMPETENCE time and time and time again!

By the way, Richie Rodriques ( 10-2 Arizona ) doesn't seen to have trouble getting SEVENTEEN starting former " 3-Star " high school stars playing at championship level. Go figure.

And the Wildcats ARE NOT a football school and had two losing seasons prior to the arrival of Richi R. SMH

Oh. Arizona, under Rodriques has won it's last two bowl games ( Finished 8-5 ) and will playing for the PAC-12 championship in Richie's THIRD SEASON in scorching hot Tucson. SMH

By the way, Coach Rodriques earn LESS money than that Carpetbagger NO.1.

ACC bowl game revenue, television contracts and the mens NCAA TOURNAMENT!

Those " three cash cows " are WHY the Powers That Be at Miami, Florida are quite CONTENT with Thee Carpetbaggers, and will continue to sigh and shrug their cowardly shoulders and collectively say La-Dee Dee, La-Dee Dah, as the Hurricanes conclude another .500 season or 7-5/8-4 seasons under Golden and D'Onofrio.

Oh. Again, because of the money revenue coming in from the " three Golden parachutes mentioned above, " the attendence figures DON'T matter to the President, AD and Board of Trustee's.

If Golden remains in 2015, I'm not watching college football. Life's too short to remain pissed all the time.

Posted by: LB | December 01, 2014 at 11:47 AM

Same here, I will spend my Saturdays watching local youth football instead

Posted by: UMike | December 01, 2014 at 11:54 AM

I've been expressing as much for a couple of weeks now. I'm not sure I will come back to the Canes. Too many ties are severed and their lack of interest in winning I simply don't have to put up with. If they don't make drastic changes, I'm filing the paperwork for fan free agency. Miami's new president will have to win me on the free market. Anyone know a good agent? WW?

Posted by: The Dude | December 01, 2014 at 12:31 AM
Not sure about that- he has been saying that line since the 80's when he as an asst. at UM. And everyone who heard it back then thought he was dead serious, it wasn't the joke that he made it out to be. For a school that has referred to itself as the "Harvard of the South" that is not going to play well.